World Long Drive

Shop

You are here

Haas Cruises to Victory in Iowa

By

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa -- Jay Haas cruised to his third Champions Tour win of the season, shooting a 2-under 69 on Sunday to take the Principal Charity Classic by three strokes.

Haas, the only player with multiple wins on the senior tour this season, finished with a 12-under total of 201. He led the entire way and picked up his ninth career victory on the Champions Tour.

R.W. Eaks (64) and Brad Bryant (67) finished tied for second at 9-under 204. David Edwards, Jay Sigel and Mark James tied for third at 8 under.

Haas led by three shots heading into the final round, and started quickly with birdies on the second and fourth holes. That pushed his lead to five strokes over Edwards, who bogeyed No. 3 and quickly fell out of contention for the lead.

Haas' birdie putt on No. 4 epitomized his weekend at the Glen Oaks Country Club, which he was playing for the first time.

Stuck at least 20 feet behind the hole on a severe incline, Haas lightly tapped the ball and sent it racing toward the cup. Had it missed, the ball likely would have rolled off the green. Instead, it slammed into the back edge of the hole, popped in the air, circled the lip and fell in.

Denis Watson, who was playing in Haas' group, let out a chuckle, realizing that the day would belong to Haas.

It wasn't the first time Haas used his putter to stay ahead of the pack. He sank a 20-foot birdie putt on 18 Friday to take the first-round lead, and made a 44-footer on Saturday to highlight a stretch of six birdies in seven holes.

Haas walked out to the 10th hole with a six-shot lead and played it safe the rest of the way. He had five straight pars before a birdie on 15 pushed his lead back to five strokes. Haas bogeyed the final two holes.

Eaks stumbled to an opening-round 72 and entered the final round tied for 17th. He hit his stride early, making birdie on four straight par-4s for a 31 on the front nine. He then stuck his tee shots on two par-3s within 12 feet for birdies.

Eaks was one shot from tying the course record, set by John Bland in 2002, before missing a birdie putt on 18. He finished second for the third time this season, and his final-round 64 was the second-best of the tournament.

Bryant finished in the top five for the fifth time this season.

Edwards (70) earned by far his best finish in 2007. After winning the 3M Championship in Minnesota in 2006, Edwards had finished in the top 10 just once in 13 events this season.

Haas improved to 3-2 this season when entering the final round either leading or tied for the lead.